Keyhole illuminator with sliding switch



y 31, 1951 E. J. ANDERSON KEYHOLE ILLUMINATOR WITH SLIDING SWITCH Filed May 28, 1947 wall-4 F IG.5 I319 gwuonior- EMERY J. ANDERSON 5y %AW Patented July 31, 1951 OFFICE KEYHOLE ILLUMINATOR WITH SLIDING SWITCH Emery J. Anderson, Minneapolis, Minn. Application May 28, 1947, Serial No. 751,008

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to lighting devices which, although capable of various uses, are particularly adapted for exposure to the weather to throw a. beam of light onto a fixed point, as, for example, onto the key-receiving portion of an exterior doorlatch.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a novel and improved lighting device of cheap and simple construction which can be installed as on a door-jamb to throw a beam of light onto the key-receiving opening of an adjacent doorlatch.

A further object is to provide such a lighting device which includes a casing within which an electric light bulb may be placed, the casing having an open front, a flexible transparent sheet closing the front of the casing to prevent the entry of rain and snow into the casing and an electric switch adapted to be operated through fiexure of the transparent sheet toestablish a lighting circuit to the bulb.

The objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the lighting device installed on a door jamb in position to throw a beam of light onto the key-receiving portion of a latch of an adjacent door;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the door-latch from front to rear as it is mounted in a doorjamb;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the lighting device, certain portions of the cover plate and transparent" sheet being broken away to more clearly-illustrate other portions of the device;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 as indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings,there is shown a doorjamb 5, a door 6 being mounted in the doorframe of which the jamb forms a part and the said door being equipped with the customary latch I having a key-receiving opening 8. The lighting device of the present invention is adapted to be fitted within a mortise 5a cut in the face of the doorjamb 5 at a point adjacent the keyreceiving opening 8 of the latch I when the door 6 is closed.

The lighting device of the invention includes a boxlike casing 9 open at its front and preferably equipped with attachment tabs l0 projecting from its top and bottom portions adjacent its front whereby the casing can be secured as by Wood screws I l to the doorjamb. A flexible trans-Q parent sheet I2 fits over the front of the casing 9, this sheet being preferably formed of plastic material and acting to seal the front of the cas ing 9 from the weather to prevent the entry of rain, snow, and ice into the casing. A cover plate I3 overlies the sheet I2, the cover plate I3 and the sheet I! being held tightly against the front portion of the casing 9 and being also attached to the doorjamb 5 by the same screws I I that secure the casing 9 to the doorjamb.

A block of electrical insulation I 4 is attached to the lower portion of the rear wall of the casing 9 and secured thereto as by a rivet. Mounted on this block of insulation I4 is an angular bracket. l5 having a horizontal arm which opposes the top of the casing 9 in properly spaced relation from the top of the casing that an electric light bulb I6 may be interposed between the top of the casing and the horizontal arm of the bracket I5. To retain the bulb in place, the top of the casing 9 is provided with an upwardly bulged portion 9a to receive the central part of the glass globe of the bulb, and similarly the horizontal arm of the bracket [5 is provided with a downwardly bulged portion |5a to receive the central electrical contact l6a of the electric light bulb. The said horizontal arm of the bracket l5 has sufficient resiliency to permit the mounting of the electric light bulb in the position specified with the central contact [6a of the bulb in engagement with the horizontal arm of the bracket.

and with the outer electrical contact IBb of the bulb in spaced relation from the horizontal arm of the bracket.

The bottom of the casing s has a slotted and upwardly pressed portion forming a strap 9b to receive the lower portion of a spring switch IT. This switch is formed of strap metal and it projects upwardly and forms an angularly bent nose Ha which normally engages the resilient sheet I2 at about its central portion. From the nose Ila the arm of the switch extends rearwardly' opposite the outer contact 16b of the electric light bulb and the inturned end I 12) of the switch is arcuately cut and-toothed so that normallyv this inturned end lies in slightly outwardly spaced relation from the contact IBb out of engagement therewith but the switch I! can be flexed inwardly to carry the end I'Iainto engagement with the outer contact I 6b of the bulb.

The cover plate I3 opposite the globe portion The cover plate it is also provided with an aper-= ture 13b below the nose l'la of the switch i? and received within the aperture 13b and guided by the walls of this aperture between the transparent sheet 12 and the cover plate [3 is a flanged key It. This key It is capable of limited sliding movement in the aperture I31). and the key is provided with a cam portion 18a which may engage with a portion of the cover plate It above the aperture lab, causing the key to move nwardly somewhat. The key It may be pushed. inwardly if desired as is a push button to flex the central portion of the flexible sheet l2 inwardly, thereby swinging the switch llinwardly and bringing the. inner endv lJb of the switch. into engagement with the outer contact llib. of the bulb. Upon release of the key the resiliency of the spring switch ll, as well as the resiliency of the transparent sheet 12 will return the key and the parts to. their normal position as shown in Fig. 2. If for any reason it is desired to retain the switch I! in engagement. with the outer contact 15b of the electric light bulb, this can be readily done by sliding the key 18 upwardly to bring the cam surface 1.811 in engagement with the inner. side of the cover plate 13 opposite the nose Fla, and the switch, ll will then be drawn into fixed engagement with the outer contact i511 oi. the electric; light. bulb until the key [8 is slid downwardly againtothe positionshown in Fig. 2.

The-bracket l5 has an arm l5b projectrg l erally of the main portionthereof. and this a has an end portion l5c. turned forwardly it carries a set screw liltowhich awire 2%, running from a suitable source of. electricity, is connected. At theopposite side of the-casing srfrom that towards. which the arm b extends, a hook-like tab, Scjis inwardly punched from the casing and a, second wire 21 running to ground is attached to. this hook-like tab.

It willbe readily seen. that a circuit controlled by the switch ll may becompleted to the electric, light bulb it when the switch I! is brought into engagement with the outer contact l-fib of thebulb. As thecircuit isclosed, a beam of light maybe thrown out by the bulb onto the key-receiving portion 50f, the doorlatch and the house owner can thus readily find the keyhole to insert the key properly in the latch to open the door. While, the device is intended primarily for use in throwing a beam. of. light onto a doorlatch, the device can also be used for throwing a beam of light onto any desired point.

The device isvery simple. and can be very easily installed. Normally the. lighting device of the present invention. will be. operated by a dry cell or. itmay, be. hooked up to the household lighting circuit by employing a low voltage transformer.

It will. of" course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement, and proportions of the various parts without departurefrom the scope of the present invention, which generally statedv consists in the matter shown and described andset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A lighting device for doorlatches and the like comprising a casing open at its front, a bulb supporting bracket connected to said casing and insulated therefrom, said bracket and one wall of said casing having means for supporting an electric light bulb therebetween with the glass portion of the bulb contacting the wall and with the central contact of the bulb engaging said bracket, a flexible transparent sheet closing the front of said casing, a spring switch grounded to said casing and having an. operating arm lying adjacent the inner side of said transparent sheet and normally disposed in slightly spaced relation from the position that the outer contact of the bulb will occupy, a cover plate overlying said transparent sheet and having an opening therethrough through which the light may shine from said bulb, andan operating key supported betweensaid cover plate and said transparent sheet and adapted to be actuated to flex inwardly a portion of said sheet opposite said operating arm to establish contact between said operating arm and the outer contact of said bulb.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, said cover plate having an aperture therein through which said key extends, said key being slidably supported between said cover. plate and said transparent sheet, and said key having a. cam portion which, when the key is' slid to one position, will work against said cover plate to push inwardly the referred to portionof said flexible sheet.

3. A lighting device for doorlatches and the like comprising a rectangular casing. openat its, front and adapted to be received within a mortise which may be cut as ina door jamb, anangular bracketsupported ininsulated relation from said casing, said bracket having-an armopposing one wall of' the casing, said. armand the wall which it opposes each having recesses thereon to receive an'el'ectric light bulbv therebetween with the central contactof the, light bulb in engage ment with. said arm and with the glass o the bulb contacting the casingwall, a flexible transparent sheet closingthe front: of said casing, a

cover plate overlying: said transparent sheet and.

having an, opening" therein through. which the light from said bulb may shine, aspring switch. armsecured to said casing and normally project=- ing' outwardly against a portion of, saidsheet and in closely spacedv relation from the position that the outer contact of the bulb will assume, and a key projecting through saidcover-plate and supported between. thecover plate andsaid sheet and adapted to be actuated to flex said portion ofsaid flexible sheet inwardly to force said switchv arm inwardly.

EMERY J. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES. CITED.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED TATES PATENTS Number Name Date,

1,230,942 Sundh. June 26, 1917 1,751,345 Isackson 1 .June3, 19.30 1,866,600 Ranch 1 July 12, 1932 1,961,865 Remington ..June. 5,. 1934 2,176,662 Babb Oct. 17, 19.39 2,309,402. Korngold 'Jan. 26, 19.43 2,431,518 Stigler et al Nov. 25, 1947.

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 348,877 Germany Feb. 20, 1922 

